Ireland: IRSP members arrested in Waterford

Some disturbing events have been taking place in the south
of Ireland, where two IRSP members have been arrested and are being held under
the notorious “section 30”. This is clearly a case of political victimisation
and should be condemned by all socialists.

The true nature of the twenty-six county state has reared
its ugly head as two members of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, 26-year-old John O'Donoghue and
55-year-old James Butler were arrested for allegedly being part of an
illegal organisation, the Irish National Liberation Army.

Both men were arrested under the notorious section 30 which
has granted the twenty-six county state powers that add up to internment. Both
comrades have denied membership of the INLA, but on June 20,and the
only evidence against them being the word of one Gardai officer, they were
remanded in custody none the less.

This bears a frightening reminisce to the days of internment
of republicans by British imperialism in the six countries during the troubles.
Internment was used as a weapon to smash resistance to British imperialism and
weaken the movements of the working class in the six counties. It would not be
the first time either that internment has been used by the twenty-six county
state to stifle the movement of Irish working people.

In the aftermath of the formation of the twenty-six county
state hundreds of republicans and socialists were interned in an effort to end
resistance to both imperialism and capitalism in Ireland, to maintain British
imperialism's domination of the island. Many leaders were executed. The ruling
class will go to any length to maintain its political power, and as socialists
we must organise against such detentions and demand the immediate repeal of
section 30.

Rather than an effort to crack down on serious crime as it
has been presented, "operation anvil" has amounted to no less than an attack on
the IRSP by the forces of the Irish ruling class, as was quite rightly
recognised by IRSP Ard
Comhairle (executive committee) member Pól Little when he stated:

"This is clearly an attack on the IRSP as well as radical
political agitation within the 26 Counties. Today we have two individuals who
face substantial prison terms on the word of a single Gardai officer, all
because of their political orientation."

These arrests amount to nothing less than an attack on
working class militants in Ireland. The authorities are worried at the recent
growth of the IRSP and the newfound success of its attempts to build a mass
working class based movement. One of those arrested had only been a member of
the IRSP for a few weeks and yet is allegedly a hardened fighter. Clearly
rather than trying to fight crime the Gardai are yet again being used to attack
the IRSP and prevent the growth of revolutionary socialist ideas in Ireland.

Yet these attacks will not prevent the growth of
socialism in Ireland. The Cumman (branch) in Waterford that these two arrested
men belong to is a recent addition to the IRSP. The Irish working class has
long struggled against bitter repression both from the twenty-six county state
and British imperialism. These arrests are a naked display of the brutality of
the ruling class in Ireland and expose that their real interests lie in
maintaining the status quo; they will continue to act as the gatekeepers of
British imperialism. In the long run interment merely increases resentment and
destroys any illusions that there exists any real form of democracy or free
political association in Ireland.

As internationalists we must oppose this political
repression and join the fight for the freedom of these Irish comrades.

- For the
immediate release without charge of John O'Donoghue and James Butler.